Likely PSL playing XIs for the playoffs after squad reshuffle due to COVID-19

The 2020 Pakistan Super League (PSL) has finally reached its penultimate stage. After many players withdrew due to COVID-19, the squads have been reshuffled, with new overseas players drafted in for the playoffs stage starting November 14th. Let's review the squads and likely starting line-ups of each remaining team.

Multan Sultans

Having lost two of their key batsmen in James Vince and Moeen Ali, Multan Sultans have gone above and beyond to find potential replacements for the PSL playoffs. Being in the qualifier, they would still be in the competition if they lost a game, so having six overseas players — the most of any squad — could come in handy.

Rilee Rossouw, Joe Denly and Adam Lyth join the squad, and will tussle for the opener role, while Brendan Taylor also sits in with a chance. Ravi Bopara is expected to play a bigger role in the playoffs to accompany the settled domestic half of the batting lineup.

After Usman Qadir's player of the series performance against Zimbabwe, Multan will be eager to somehow fit him in the squad. However, with Shahid Afridi and Imran Tahir both in the squad, it is unclear how this could happen this PSL season, especially given Afridi's importance at number seven.

Multan's bowling is also settled, a mark of their consistency this PSL season, as star bowler Sohail Tanvir teams up with Mohammad Irfan and emerging player Mohammad Ilyas. Alternatives on the bench include the dynamic Ali Shafiq and experienced campaigner Junaid Khan.

First XI: Joe Denly, Zeeshan Ashraf (W), Shan Masood (C), Rilee Rossouw, Ravi Bopara, Khushdil Shah, Shahid Afridi / Usman Qadir, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Ilyas (Emerging), Mohammad Irfan, Imran Tahir.

Bench: Adam Lyth, Brendan Taylor, Rohail Nazir (W, Emerging), Shahid Afridi / Usman Qadir, Bilawal Bhatti, Junaid Khan, Ali Shafiq.

Karachi Kings

Imad Wasim's Karachi Kings are favourites to be the PSL champions.

One of the enigmas of this year's elongated PSL are the Karachi Kings. With one of the strangest squad compositions, the Kings have brought in more odd picks to maintain team balance. The top four seem to be settled, with Pakistan captain Babar Azam opening with the dangerous Sharjeel, followed by Alex Hales and Cameron Delport batting down at three and four.

Given Chadwick Walton's woeful CPL form, and the rise of Mohammad Rizwan, it seems likely that the Rizwan will take the gloves for the PSL playoffs. This means that Sherfane Rutherford and Mitchell McClenaghan's replacement, Wayne Parnell, would complete the quote of four overseas players.

To join the South African paceman, dynamic all-rounder Aamer Yamin and Mohammad Amir are sure picks alongside the captain, Imad Wasim. With three pace bowlers plus the medium of Sherfane Rutherford, it seems unlikely the emerging player spot would go to Arshad Iqbal.

Umer Khan is likely to feature more in the PSL playoffs than he did in the group stage. Iftikhar Ahmed may struggle to make the team given the odd balance and his poor form with the bat, although there are a few scenarios where he keeps his place.

First XI: Babar Azam, Sharjeel Khan, Alex Hales, Cameron Delport, Mohammad Rizwan (W), Sherfane Rutherford, Aamer Yamin, Imad Wasim (C), Wayne Parnell, Mohammad Amir, Umer Khan (Emerging).

Bench: Awais Zia, Chadwick Walton (W), Iftikhar Ahmed, Usama Mir, Waqas Maqsood, Arshad Iqbal (Emerging).

Peshawar Zalmi

Peshawar Zalmi are the most successful team of the remaining contingent.

Peshawar Zalmi look very strong on paper, but need to win three games to be the PSL 2020 champions. The batting looks fairly good with Kamran Akmal and the experienced Faf du Plessis likely opening. In-form Haider Ali will come in at three, with Shoaib Malik and replacement signing Sohaib Maqsood to bolster the middle-order.

With just one overseas spot used so far, the team is off to a good start. All-rounder Carlos Brathwaite will be depended upon for finishing the innings and act as the sixth bowler, so Zalmi potentially have a long tail.

Darren Sammy will continue his non-playing role and has been replaced with Sohaib Maqsood, so the captain will be Wahab Riaz. His pace allies will be South African Hardus Viljoen, surprisingly uncapped from this year's IPL, and England's Saqib Mahmood, who was a surprise replacement for Liam Livingstone, who has national duties.

Mohammad Mohsin is very likely to feature in the XI while the second spinner will be either the experienced Yasir Shah or another leg-spinner, emerging player Aamir Ali. Zalmi could also plump for a fifth pacer, probably Rahat Ali. Hasan Ali is presumed out after picking up another injury in the Quaid e-Azam trophy.

First XI: Kamran Akmal (W), Faf du Plessis, Haider Ali (Emerging), Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Carlos Brathwaite, Mohammad Mohsin, Wahab Riaz (C), Hardus Viljoen, Saqid Mahmood, Yasir Shah.

Bench: Imam ul-Haq, Umar Amin, Adil Amin, Khurram Shehzad, Ali Khan, Rahat Ali, Aamir Ali (Emerging)

Lahore Qalandars

Lahore Qalandars reached the play-offs for the first time ever in 2020.

The PSL's perennial wooden spooners, Lahore Qalandars finally reached the PSL play-offs in the 2020 season, their first experience of knockout cricket. They are, however, still huge outsiders.

The batting is hard to figure out, with the desperately out of form Fakhar Zaman partnering Bangladesh international Tamim Iqbal, before in-form Mohammad Hafeez and their star player from 2020, Ben Dunk. Captain Sohail Akhtar completes the batting.

Overseas all-rounders Samit Patel and David Wiese look fairly solid in the middle before the Qalandars real strength, their pace bowling, presents itself. Pakistan's star pacer Shaheen Afridi martials an attack comprising of the dangerous left-armer Usman Shinwari and Pakistan international Haris Rauf. The emerging spot will likely go to Qalandars academy leg-spinner Maaz Khan, who featured regularly towards the end of the group stage.

First XI: Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk (W), Sohail Akhtar (C), Samit Patel, David Wiese, Usman Shinwari, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Maaz Khan (Emerging).

Bench: Abid Ali, Agha Salman, Dane Vilas (W), Jaahid Ali (W), Dilbar Hussain, Mohammad Faizan (Emerging), Farzan Raja.